aliens – Page 4 – Made by Mikal

Starbound

Post author:mikal
Post published:January 10, 2011
Post category:Book

This is the newly released sequel for Marsbound which I really liked, so I was excited when this arrived the other day. This book is much like the previous one stylistically, being written as a set of mostly first person diary entries. However, the people writing these entries are older now, and this feels less like a teen fiction novel. There is also more than one narrator in this book, unlike the first, with generally each chapter being narrated by one of three people. This can be a bit jarring at first, because it takes a while to realize that a new person is narrating and that's why the point of view changed. You get used to it though. This book is also quite Heinlein like in this level of sex, which is similar to Marsbound, but not true of all of the Haldeman books I've read -- I think it might be a relatively recent change to his style. Overall a good book, I enjoyed it, and I can't wait for the next one in the series (which Joe finished at the end of 2010).

The Fifth Element

Post author:mikal
Post published:December 31, 2010
Post category:Book

I liked the movie, and the book was cheap, so how bad could it be I thought to myself. The answer is terrible. Its in a big font with large margins, and still only a little over 200 pages long (in other words really short), however its not very well written either, which means that's merciful. The book is full of discussion of how under dressed the young women that is the Fifth Element is. The. Whole. Time. Not the worst book I've ever read, but certainly not one I will read again. Oh and what's with lines like "the search engines cranked and groaned"? Groan. Oh and what's with lines like "the search engines cranked and groaned"? Groan. [isbn: 0006483461]

Hell’s Faire

Post author:mikal
Post published:December 28, 2010
Post category:Book

The final book in the Earth based Posleen war series. This should really have been part of the previous book (When the Devil Dances), but that would have made it a 1,100 page book. I've seen some complaints that these two books needed editing, but I feel that's not totally fair. They didn't feel padded, and I'm not sure what' you'd leave out of them. Sure, there are characters who are introduced in reasonable detail in order to then die, but isn't war like that? I like that you couldn't really guarantee that all the good guys would survive for once. The remainder of the books in this universe are share cropped. I'm not sure how I feel about that. I guess we'll have to wait and see. [isbn: 0743488423]

When the Devil Dances

Post author:mikal
Post published:December 27, 2010
Post category:Book

The humans are still getting their arse kicked, and it seems like the Posleen might be learning something approximating reasonable tactics. If this book was just that, then it would be a disappointing addition to the series (A Hymn Before Battle and Gust Front come before this book). However, there is also some interesting science fiction happening here. It seems there is some sort of conspiracy to control the humans, and there is certainly some dodgy human experimentation going on. Overall, a good book apart from the cliff hanger at the end -- I would be annoyed if I couldn't just pick up the next book straight away. [isbn: 0743436024]

Agent to the Stars

Post author:mikal
Post published:December 23, 2010
Post category:Book

There is something a little bit annoying about Scalzi. Take this book for example -- it is his practise book that he wrote to see if he even could write a coherent book. He didn't even intend to ever publish it. Yet it is really really good. Oh, its not his best book, but it better than many other books I've read. Its funny, interesting, entertaining, and yet thoughtful as well. I loved it. [isbn: 0765357003;9780765357007]

Gust Front

Post author:mikal
Post published:December 21, 2010
Post category:Book

This is the sequel to A Hymn Before Battle, and its a better book to be honest. That's fair enough given Hymn was Ringo's first book. This book spends less time on the politics of incompetent officers (although there is a bit of that), and introduces a little bit more of the political intrigue running in the Federation. The combat sequences are pretty well done too. Overall its good to see Ringo developing as an author and I enjoyed this book. [isbn: 0743435257]

Polar City Blues

Post author:mikal
Post published:December 18, 2010
Post category:Book

My first Katharine Kerr science fiction novel. There is a lot happening in this book: an inversion between the expected racism in our society; multiple alien species; political intrigue; murder; disease; and a first contact with a new alien species. The book could have included fewer plot elements and still have been excellent. Regardless, this book is quite good, and very unexpected from what I consider to be a fantasy author. [isbn: 0553285041]

A Hymn Before Battle

Post author:mikal
Post published:December 7, 2010
Post category:Book

This is an interesting book in that it lays down a reasonably believable scenario and then doesn't really resolve it. Its obviously setting up for a series, and while the local micro plot is resolved, there is clearly a larger story arc that wants telling here. The book isn't happy or uplifting, it is downright depressing in places. Regardless, I still finding myself hanging out for the next one in the series. [isbn: 0671318411]

Broken Angels

Post author:mikal
Post published:November 27, 2010
Post category:Book

This book is very different from Altered Carbon, as noted by many other online reviews. I found it very slow going, for a few reasons: it is quite long; it is very different from Altered Carbon in a way that almost feel like a bait and switch (Altered Carbon is a film noir detective novel, this is a hard core combat book with an alien influence); and Morgan has an annoying habit of providing emphasis with. periods. in the middle. of sentences which makes his work sometimes hard to parse. Overall and ok book and I like the alien stuff, but not what I was expecting and not as good as Altered Carbon. [isbn: 9780575081253;0575081252]

Zoe’s Tale

Post author:mikal
Post published:November 19, 2010
Post category:Book

This is a retelling of the events of The Last Colony from the perspective of Zoe, the teenaged adopted daughter of the colony leaders. The story makes the teenaged female narrator quite believable, although that is a little annoying at times. There is a lot of introductory material, and then a relatively rapid wrap up of the story line, which is common across all of the Old Ma's War books that I have read. Overall I enjoyed this book, but not as much as Old Man's War or The Ghost Brigades. [isbn: 0765356198] [awards: nominee hugo 2009]